THE Department of Agriculture IV-CALABARZON (DA-4A) High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) conducted a training on Productivity Enhancement of Existing Cacao Trees through Rehabilitation in CALABARZON for cacao farmers of Guinayangan, Quezon on June 9.
The participants for the training were 25 members of Samahan sa Industriya ng Cacao na Pangkabuhayan (SICAP).
The said training will help the participants to rehabilitate or increase the productivity of the existing old cacao trees not less than 10 years.
The training consisted of lectures on package of technology on cacao production, cacao pests and diseases management, and actual demonstration of the rehabilitation: underbrushing, pruning of cacao trees, removing diseased infested and infected pods, and fertilization.
The cacao trees rehabilitation process consists of identification of old trees, formative pruning on cacao trees, execution of chupon grafting or side grafting using selected scion or budstick, and fertilizer application.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa DA-4A sa pagtutuon ng pansin na magabayan kami sa pagpapalaki at pagpaparami ng cacao, tulad na lang nito. Napakahalaga po sa amin ng training na ito. Natutuhan namin ‘yong magagandang variety ng cacao. Nalaman din namin ang mga dapat gawin sa pagpaparami ng cacao,” Marylene M. Atendido, board of director of SICAP, said.
DA-4A HVCDP also distributed 33,750 worth of interventions that consist of 25 pieces pruning shear and one unit of grasscutter.
The same training will also be conducted in Indang and Silang, Cavite; Luisiana and Liliw, Laguna; Mabini and San Nicholas, Batangas; Tanay, Rizal; Macalelon, Quezon.|
